


this crazy game

by kiwigirl



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Alternate Universe - The Soulmate Goose of Enforcement, Darcyland (Marvel), F/M, Geese, Goose-typical violence, Soultember Challenge
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-30
Updated: 2019-09-30
Packaged: 2020-11-08 05:13:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,600
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20829971
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kiwigirl/pseuds/kiwigirl
Summary: Steve Rogers was cool and calm under pressure. He was a master tactician, even when confronted with the unexpected. He most certainly didn’t yelp in surprise and spend ten minutes leaping from sofa to coffee table and back again in a vain effort to avoid a bird with far too long a neck.Well, that’s what he would tell anyone who asked afterwards.





	this crazy game

**Author's Note:**

> Written as part of the [Darcyland Soultember 2019](https://ibelieveinturtles.tumblr.com/post/186162917449/darcyland-soulmate-september-2019-welcome-to) challenge, and I went with prompt #1 the Soulmate Goose

Darcy took another sip of her drink and glanced around the crowded club. Finding no-one to catch her eye in the crush, she was about to give up when there was a flurry of movement by the entrance. As she watched, the crowd parted to reveal a goose. Beady eyes inspected the suddenly-silent room, head swivelling on a long white neck.

Her pulse quickened as it became apparent that the goose was making its way towards them, though from nerves or excitement, she wasn’t sure. When it halted at the table next to them and began to peck at one girl in particular, she finally relaxed and returned her attention to her friends. “Sorry, what was that, Jess?”

Her friend Jessica pouted. “I was _saying_ that Ems almost crawled behind me trying to hide from the goose. It’s as if she doesn’t want to find her soulmate.”

“Have you seen those beaks?” Emily protested. “I have no desire to get up close and personal with a murderbird, thanks.”

Given that the goose’s target was futilely trying to protect her shins on her way to the exit, Darcy couldn’t help but agree. “I kinda feel sorry for her. At least she knows there’s someone worthwhile on the other side of the bruises.”

Jessica’s eyes narrowed at the wistful tone in Darcy’s voice. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” Darcy muttered, casting about for another topic of conversation. “How’s the Etsy store going, Ems?”

“Oh, it’s great,” Emily enthused. “I - oh my gosh!”

At her squeal of excitement, Darcy twisted around to follow her friend’s line of sight, back towards the entrance. “What is it? Another goose?”

“No, Steve Rogers just walked in,” Emily hissed. “Isn’t he the hottest thing in New York City?”

“More like the whole East Coast,” Twirling a lock of hair around one finger, Jessica looked across the room. “I mean, look at those arms. I wouldn’t mind a goose leading me his way.”

“Stop staring,” Darcy ordered, forcing herself to turn away. “Give the poor guy some space.”

Jessica sniffed. “Oh yeah, I forgot you work with the guy.”

“I don’t work with him. He works with my boss’s boyfriend. We’ve barely met.” Except for one night, which was off-limits. Completely. He’d made himself very clear. “So are here to dance or what?”

“Waiting on you finish that drink.”

“Oh! In that case —” Darcy tossed back the last of her daiquiri and followed her friends to the dance floor. They started in their usual spot across from the DJ — but as three single women, they didn’t stay alone for long. The guy with his hands on her waist wasn’t Steve, but she didn’t let that didn’t faze her as she let loose to the music. Still, she couldn’t help but sneak another look — only to catch his gaze as he talked to some girl by the bar. The connection sparked across the room, as intense as the first time. Convinced it was the drink (again), Darcy quirked a single eyebrow at him challengingly and turned back to her partner. Steve Rogers would get no more of her attention.

* * *

Steve hadn’t gone to the club to see Darcy. It was pure chance, had nothing to do with an offhand comment she’d made about Friday night drinks with friends. It was past time for him to check out the bars around the Tower.

That’s what he told himself.

As he struggled to give the blonde woman in front of him his full attention, he had to remind himself that Darcy _wasn’t interested_. She’d made that clear already. Following her to a bar like some lovestruck fool was inappropriate and not something he would ever do. So. Coincidence it was.

The blonde batted her eyes at him and pressed forward, one hand already on his wrist. Steve forced a smile onto his face and gently detached her grip.

This was a mistake, but that was no reason to take it on this poor girl.

Darcy was dancing with another guy now, which — was none of his damn business, anyway. Giving the evening up as a lost cause, he made his apologies and left. What he needed were clear roads and long stretches of nothing. A ride on his motorbike would do him a world of good.

He hoped.

It was late when he got back to the Tower. He’d ridden some way into Jersey and back again, enjoying the clarity that came with the ride as the city turned to suburbs and back again. Somewhere between the Hackensack and the Hudson he’d decided once and for all to put a certain brunette from his mind. Of course, that was easier said than done, with those killer curves and a laugh that made his chest hurt. If she hadn’t approached him, if they hadn’t gotten to talking…

He was almost relieved when he pushed open his bedroom door to find a goose.

Almost.

The goose charged at him, wings outstretched and honking vigorously.

Steve Rogers was cool and calm under pressure. He was a master tactician, even when confronted with the unexpected. He most certainly didn’t yelp in surprise and spend ten minutes leaping from sofa to coffee table and back again in a vain effort to avoid a bird with far too long a neck.

Well, that’s what he would tell anyone who asked afterwards.

Several sharp jabs and a lot of words that would Tony howl with laughter later, he remembered that geese tended to disappear when one kissed one’s soulmate. There was, of course, the chance that Clint had smuggled an ordinary goose into his rooms to mess with him, but he and Nat were on holiday somewhere — which is why Steve had had the freedom to go out to a bar on his own.

(If anyone asked later, Steve Rogers was not chased down twelve flights of stairs, either)

* * *

“C’mon, just drink a little bit more,” Darcy coaxed, lifting the glass of water to Emily’s lips.

Her friend muttered something unintelligible, but took a sip before letting her head drop to the table, narrowly missing the takeout Jess had ordered on their way back. On her other side, Jessica clung to her super-sized slushee and took another slurp, her lips already blue.

Darcy stifled a yawn, blinking furiously to keep her eyes open. The seats in the social hub were far too comfortable; more than once, they’d ended Friday drinks stretched out or curled down here, eight storeys below Darcy’s apartment. It wasn’t the worst place to end up, nor were they the only ones there. After all, the coffee in the communal machine was decent and the first aid kit always had painkillers in stock.

The peace and quiet of the room was interrupted when Steve Rogers burst in, something large and white flapping at his heels. He raced between the tables as a murmur of surprise rippled around the room.

He actually ran right past Darcy, and her tired brain barely had time to recognise it was a goose somehow keeping pace with him, when the bird stopped chasing him, and turned on her. With a shriek, she swung her legs out of the way, and finding no relief in that, clambered up onto the table, heedless of the takeout containers spilling onto the floor.

Seemingly satisfied with her corralled, the goose returned its attention to Steve, who was backing away from it — and her — his gaze swinging between the two of them. If she’d been a little less exhausted, his expression would’ve been a lot more readable, but to her eye it looked like surprise and something like hope.

Which was ridiculous.

The goose charged again, neck weaving and jabbing until Steve also took to the tabletops — and from there, to where Darcy perched, her friends wide-eyed and Emily fully awake.

Only then, face to face with Steve Rogers and with sauce on her shoes, did it click what was happening.

“You’re kidding,” she said flatly.

Breaking eye contact and glancing down, Steve grabbed her by the waist and lifted her, neatly plucking her legs out of the way of a beak. “Somehow, I don’t think the goose is kidding.”

“You don’t even like me!” Darcy protested. “Not in that way.”

“Where on earth did you get that idea?”

“I practically -” Darcy glanced around at the room and lowered her voice to a hiss. “I practically offered myself up on a silver platter!”

“You were drunk!” Steve defended, still holding her. “I didn’t want to take something you weren’t prepared to give.” He paused. “Besides, I didn’t think we were interested in the same thing.”

She raised an eyebrow. “And what’s that? Motorsports? Kinky sex? Please don’t tell me Captain America is into My Little Pony.”

“A relationship,” he said bluntly. “Exclusive, long-term, potentially some kids along the way.” He winced, and Darcy realised he’d been taking the brunt of the beak attack, moving her out of the way when the goose got too close. At that realisation, her heart felt too large for her chest, even as a peck got through.

“We can discuss those later,” she told him, and pressed her lips to his.

They fitted together, she realised, somewhere between her twining her arms around his neck and him lifting a hand to gently cup the side of her face. She didn’t even notice when the goose disappeared or as her friends ushered the gawkers out of the social hub.

The bruises took a little longer to heal, but by then, Darcy was firmly on the _worth it_ side of the argument.


End file.
